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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26231716">ORANGE (1999)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrywave/pseuds/cherrywave'>cherrywave</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales Of The Broken [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Beggars, Food, M/M, Orange, content warning, mentions of food</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:21:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,798</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26231716</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrywave/pseuds/cherrywave</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>At midnight Donghyuck brought a huge orange—</p><p>The size of it made Mark laugh.</p><p>Mark didn't peel it but shared it with Donghyuck—</p><p>Mark devoured the whole citrus.</p><p>- a rendition of the poem 'The Orange', by Wendy Cope.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Donghyuck | Haechan &amp; Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales Of The Broken [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905235</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>ORANGE (1999)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Content Warning, I wouldn't give spoilers but this is not for the faint of heart. Read wisely. I do apologize in advance as well.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moonlight shone on the hangnail on Mark’s thumb that he had been chewing. It was past midnight, closed stores, cold breeze, aching stomach, no one around. The usual.</p><p>Although this time it wasn’t. Mark heard footsteps followed by the dragging of something on the floor, and that’s when a boy came out of the shadows, his hair bouncy like the cloud.</p><p>Unlike Mark, he seemed like he had somewhere to live in. His clothes were nice, he was preppy. A diamond-patterned vest over a simple turtle neck, perhaps signifying that it was winter. </p><p>He did look cute for Mark’s liking, but he erased the thought from his head. This boy is just some victim to robbery.</p><p>“You shouldn’t wear nice clothes in the sketchiest part of the town,” Mark started a conversation. </p><p>The boy stopped on his tracks, raising his head to look at Mark. If the latter were to be honest, he did feel hurt when the other showed a disgusted look for a split-second.</p><p>“Are you from here?” Mark asked.</p><p>He nodded. “Just around the neighborhood.”</p><p>Mark nodded as well. He carefully took out the knife from his pocket as he walked closer to the boy.</p><p>“Give me-”</p><p>"You're famished, aren't you?” the boy asked.</p><p>“I’m fucking what?” Mark asked, lowering his hand that had a knife.</p><p>“Hungry. You must be hungry, I assume,” the boy said as he sat on the asphalt, prompting Mark to do the same.</p><p>“What about it?”</p><p>"Give me your hand," he said.</p><p>“What’re you gonna do?” Mark asked.</p><p>The boy chuckled, putting his hand out to reach for Mark’s.</p><p>"What's your name?" Mark asked as he felt the boy’s warm hand on his. </p><p>The boy grabbed the black trash bag he had been dragging closer to him as he fished out for something inside. </p><p>"I'm Donghyuck," he said. "And there you go-"</p><p>“I’m Mark, by the way-” Mark was interrupted as Donghyuck placed a giant citrus on his hand. "That's a big orange.”</p><p>It was warm and heavy, but to Mark it absolutely looked scrumptious.</p><p>“Orange?” Donghyuck asked, lifting an eyebrow.</p><p>“Is it called something else?”</p><p>“No,” Donghyuck shook his head. “An orange,” he repeated.</p><p>Mark stopped marvelling at the fruit to watch Donghyuck repeatedly say ‘Orange’, his voice was louder every second, to the point that he was screaming.</p><p>“Go on, Mark. Eat it,” Donghyuck said, his roars surrounded the whole vicinity. From a simple chuckle to a hysterical laughter, Mark felt unsettled, but it was like a curse. He wanted to try the orange more.</p><p>Mark couldn't take his eyes away from the fruit in front of him.</p><p>"Do you want a piece?” he offered.</p><p>"Oh no!" Donghyuck exclaimed. "I have plenty more with me,” he said.</p><p>Mark ignored Donghyuck’s twitching eye and focused more on the gift he received. </p><p>He grasped the orange, finding the soft spot to peel it, when Donghyuck held his hands and pushed the citrus to his face.</p><p>"It's special, you just bite it," Donghyuck said as he winked. "I have to be on my way now. Wait for me tomorrow, yeah?"</p><p>"I will. Thank you for this," Mark said. He took a bite out of the gigantic orange, each bite were better than the other for Mark. It was soft, plump, and succulent. Mark finished it within a second, ignoring the seeds. He heard a soft chuckle next to him.</p><p>"I thought you left," Mark asked.</p><p>Donghyuck's chuckle turned into maniacal laughter once more. It felt like he was mocking Mark, but the latter couldn't figure out what was happening. Mark felt dizzy and woke up to the next day still full.</p><p>---</p><p>Around the same time as yesterday’s, Mark heard footsteps nearing him.</p><p>"Sorry to keep you waiting," Donghyuck said as he appeared in front of Mark. </p><p>"What do you have for me?" he asked out of excitement, leaving no time to spare greetings.</p><p>Donghyuck once again carried a trash bag, although it was smaller than yesterday's. "Well, hello to you too. I have a banana for you."</p><p>Mark beamed at Donghyuck as the latter placed it on his hands. Unlike the orange, it was cold yet still heavy.</p><p>Mark brought the fruit close to him. "Do I just bite it too?"</p><p>Donghyuck nodded. He patted Mark's hair as he ate, which in honesty felt weird to him. He hasn't had any human contact in years.</p><p>"Fancy for another?" Donghyuck asked to which Mark nodded.</p><p>Mark's eye lit up as Donghyuck handed him another banana.</p><p>Donghyuck’s eyes twinkle as he watches him eat. </p><p>"How does it taste?" he asked Mark whose cheeks are filled.</p><p>Mark nodded in response, he raised his thumbs up as he devoured another.</p><p>Mark sighed as he finished the banana. “Why are you doing this?” </p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Is this poisoned?” Mark asked.</p><p>Donghyuck scoffed. “What do you think I am? Some evil fuck that poisons beggars for fun?”</p><p>“Sorry- I didn’t mean it like that,” Mark said, his hand reaching Donghyuck’s arm.</p><p>“The fruits I give you are all fresh,” Donghyuck said. His hands find their way on Mark’s cheek, caressing the stubble and rough skin. “I can never do that to you, Mark.”</p><p>The latter felt bad about doubting Donghyuck’s intentions.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Mark said, and this time he meant it.</p><p>Donghyuck shrugged his shoulder. "Next time, again," he said as he walked away.</p><p>---</p><p>"This is a fruit?”Mark asked skeptically as he examined two cucumbers in front of him.</p><p>"I'm running out, Mark," Donghyuck said. "Why don't you use your imagination for this one.”</p><p>"Fine," Mark said as he took a bite. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked. He noticed how irritated Donghyuck was being.</p><p>"Anything."</p><p>"Why are you helping me? For three days straight now," Mark asked. "It's not like I did something nice for you-"</p><p>"Trust me, Mark. You're helping me, a lot."</p><p>"Why do you even need a beggar's help? Aren't you rich, with all the foods?"</p><p>Donghyuck scoffed. "You're really something else," Donghyuck said in awe. "See you tomorrow."</p><p>Mark may not admit it but their times together were shorter, and he missed Donghyuck as soon as he walked away.</p><p>---</p><p>"What took you so long?"</p><p>"God, Mark. This is heavy and I have to walk everyday."</p><p>"Sorry?"</p><p>"It's fine," Donghyuck said as he sat in front of Mark.</p><p>"What do you have?"</p><p>"A watermelon."</p><p>"I haven't ate one," Mark said. "Can you teach me how to?"</p><p>"It's not any different from the other things I've given you," Donghyuck explained. "You just take it and bite."</p><p>"Don't they have a really hard skin?" Mark asked. "That's how one of my friends died, someone dropped a watermelon on him."</p><p>"This is different,” Donghyuck spoke with a stern voice.</p><p>Mark shrugged, he'll eat it anyway.</p><p>"Thank you," Mark said. His ears rang with Donghyuck's roaring laughter, it was something he hasn’t heard in a long time. "What's funny?"</p><p>"Everything."</p><p>"I don't get you. Sometimes you're really quiet, and sometimes you kept on laughing.</p><p>"I just feel incredibly happy, Mark," Donghyuck said. "How about you? How do you feel?" he asked. His furrowed eyebrows were gone, replaced by his beams.</p><p>"Well. sometimes I feel weird, like sick weird. Most of the time, I'm happy too, because you're nice to me."</p><p>"You flatter me."</p><p>"I mean it," Mark said. "Whatever I'm helping you with, I hope it turns out great."</p><p>Donghyuck scoffed. "Thank you, I guess."</p><p>---</p><p>Mark waited until sundown, but he didn’t have to cause Donghyuck arrived early today, tad early, without his black plastic bag, and just a fruit.</p><p>"This is small."</p><p>"Take what you get, Mark."</p><p>"I was still kinda full from that orange you gave me before, I don't think I could eat another,” Mark reasoned.</p><p>"You seemed to like it the most, so I thought I should give you another one."</p><p>"I don't think I deserve another one."</p><p>"God, Mark," Donghyuck chuckled. "Just eat it."</p><p>Like before, Mark brought it to his mouth, however Donghyuck stopped him.</p><p>"This isn't special," he said. "You have to peel it."</p><p>Mark did so and took a piece. "It tastes weird."</p><p>"Hmm?"</p><p>"It tastes sour now- I know. Take what I get but I just can't help but compare it."</p><p>"I understand," Donghyuck replied. "See you tomorrow?"</p><p>“Can you stay for a while?” Mark said, he regretted it the second it left his mouth. “I know you don’t want to get robbed or get your clothes dirty, or maybe get mean looks from others but, can you please stay?”</p><p>Donghyuck was caught off guard. “Sure,” he said. He sat on the ground and watched as Mark scrunch his nose and make a face whenever he ate a piece.</p><p>“Do you wanna tell me something?” Donghyuck asked.</p><p>“Not really,” Mark said. “Unlike others, I think I get more lonely at day. I may not be alone, in the streets filled with people and their judging stares but, I feel lonely because I don’t have anyone I’m close to.”</p><p>Donghyuck held Mark’s hand, with a sorrow plastered on his face. “I didn’t know how hard it is,” he said.</p><p>“I got used to it,” Mark said.</p><p>“Are you ever cold?” </p><p>“Sometimes, when it rains or snows-” Mark was interrupted as Donghyuck placed his own coat over his shoulder. “How about you-”</p><p>“I have plenty of them,” Donghyuck said. “Take care, Mark.”</p><p>Mark sensed that Donghyuck wanted to leave so he didn’t force him to stay anymore. He waved his friend his unknowingly last goodbye.</p><p>---</p><p>Mark patiently waited for Donghyuck the next day but the latter never showed up. He decided to go for a walk, with Donghyuck’s coat. He felt a clunking sound on one of his pockets.</p><p>“A key?” Mark wondered. With further examining, there was an address written on the keychain.</p><p>Mark dragged his feet along the sidewalk, Donghyuck’s gifts made Mark full for a whole day, but yesterday’s wasn’t enough. He felt bad for asking more, but he had to survive.</p><p>He was out of breath after a few blocks so he stopped in front of a shop.</p><p>Mark didn’t really care about the news, he knew how it goes down in real life, but this one report caught his attention. </p><p>Donghyuck was on screen with his hands cuffed behind.</p><p>He listened to the reporter utter the words that will haunt him for life.</p><p>“Lee Donghyuck, the culprit of the case of missing children, has been arrested today.”</p><p>The screen cuts to Donghyuck who was being interviewed by the press.</p><p>“Where are the children now?” asked one reporter.</p><p>Donghyuck stopped on his tracks as he said something that Mark wished he couldn't comprehend at all.</p><p>Mark’s ears rang as he heard Donghyuck hysterical laughter.</p><p>“I already gave it to charity.”</p>
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